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Thursday, July 29, 2010
A Classic final victory
BY MURT MURPHY
CLASSIC FC finished their season in style with a hard-earned victory over Fenit Samphires in this entertaining Hennebery Sports Reserve Cup final played at a damp Mounthawk Park, Tralee, on Sunday evening.
It was game that could have gone either way but Classic FC appeared to stay the distance better than Fenit, while two of their goals were rather soft and that’s being very kind.
Classic FC can look back on a very good season and though they lost the Premier B final, they still earned promotion to the top flight next season.
They now win a trophy right at the end of the season, so manager Timmy Lynch can feel very happy with his year’s work with this very young club.
Fenit Samphires, on the other hand, finished runnersup in division one and will be a force again next season but they just could not expect to win a cup final when they conceded such soft goals.
The first quarter was real end-to-end stuff. There was very little in terms of goalmouth action, with both defences on top though Classic slightly shaded matters in terms of possession.
Pa McCarthy was a constant threat down the right for Fenit while Martin Ferris was winning a lot of ball in the air but Martin Courtney, Timmy Lynch and Anthony McAuliffe were rock solid at the back for Classic.
The first real chance of the game came in the 25th minute when Mike Conway played a good ball to young David Courtney who shot across the goalkeeper, but it drifted inches wide.
Two minutes later, a cross from Gary O’Connor caused panic in the Fenit defence as David Courtney challenged in the box and a defender was forced to head behind as keeper Paul O’Sullivan was caught in no man’s land.
On the half hour, Fenit Samphires had their first decent chance when Daniel Nelligan’s free kick caught the Classic defence ball watching and when it broke, it almost ended up in the net, but Martin Courtney got back to clear the danger.
Classic were winning numerous corners but the Fenit defence was dealing with anything that came their way. In first half injury time, Fenit created the best two openings of the half.
Firstly, Martin Ferris dispossessed a Classic defender and slipped a neat pass to Daniel Nelligan who pulled the trigger but across came Frankie Murphy to make a great block that saved a certain goal.
Then a minute later, Neligan again raided in from the right and crossed low to an unmarked Tommy McCarthy whose shot was brilliantly saved by Gary Kissane with an outstretched foot.
Classic FC started the second half in explosive fashion and hit the front within three minutes of the restart. It followed a Gary O’Connor corner that was cleared only as far as Martin Courtney about 35 yards from goal.
He rolled the ball wide right to O’Connor who sent in a deep cross that appeared to be headed for the keeper’s domain. But for some reason Paul O’Sullivan decided to punch the ball rather than catch it, and he only succeeded in directing the ball off his hand post and into the net.
Many sides would be deflated by such a reverse but not Fenit Samphires who drove on with Pa McCarthy, Martin Ferris and Daniel Nelligan to the fore.
Classic FC could have doubled their lead in the 55th minute when David Courtney gained possession inside the box but Joe O’Halloran made a great block at the expense of a corner.
Then Fenit enjoyed a stroke of luck in the 57th minute. Mike Conway looked to be fouled and when he did not get his free, he was booked and Fenit awarded a free from half way.
Rory Kelly floated the ball into the box and Martin Ferris rose highest to head home the equaliser.
The game was now up for grabs, and both sides had chances but the spectre of a replay loomed large as the game entered its final ten minutes.
Pa McCarthy then went within a whisker of giving Fenit the lead in the 80th minute when his powerful drive from 25 yards shaved the post.
Then at the other end, David Courtney did some trickery on the right wing before slipping the ball to Gary O’Connor on the edge of the box that sent a missile flying into the top corner of the Fenit net.
In the 89th minute as Fenit chased the game, Classic substitute Eoin Colgan sent in a speculative cross from the left touchline that keeper Paul O’Sullivan misjudged. It cannoned off the right hand post and into the net to give Classic FC a 3-1 win and the Reserve Cup.
Classic FC: G Kissane, F Murphy, A McAuliffe, T Lynch, M Courtney, M Tagney, B Smyth, M Conway, G O’Connor, J Casey, D Courtney. Subs used: J Conway for M Tagney, O Colgan for D Courtney.
Fenit Samphires: P O’Sullivan, T McCarthy, R Kelly, J O’Halloran, D O’Shea, P McCarthy, P Stack, K Walsh, J McCarthy, M Ferris, D Nelligan. Sub used: C O’Shea for J McCarthy.
Referee: John Hegarty.
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